Motion of Charged Particles

in a Uniform Electric Field

Montwood High School
AP Physics C
R. Casao
Acceleration in Uniform
Electric Field
The motion of a charged particle in a
uniform electric field is equivalent to that
of a projectile moving in a uniform
gravitational field.
When a charge q is placed in an electric
field E, the electric force on the charge is
F = Eq.
From Newtons second law, F = ma,
therefore, ma = Eq.
The acceleration of the charge is:
m
q E
a

Acceleration in Uniform
Electric Field
If E is uniform (constant in
magnitude and direction),
then the acceleration is
constant.
If the charge is positive, the
acceleration will be in the
direction of the electric field.
If the charge is negative, the
acceleration will be in the
direction opposite the electric
field.

Acceleration in Uniform
Electric Field
The electric field in the region
between two oppositely
charged flat metal plates is
considered to be uniform.
If an electron is projected
horizontally into an electric
field with an initial velocity v
o
,
it will be accelerated by the
electric field.



Acceleration in Uniform
Electric Field
The acceleration will be in the positive y
direction (the direction of the electric field).
Because the acceleration is constant,
we can apply the two-dimensional
kinematics equations for
projectile motion:
v
o
= v
x
= constant
(no acceleration in the
horizontal direction)
m
q E
a

Acceleration in Uniform
Electric Field
Final vertical speed: v
yf
= v
yi
+ (at); initial
velocity in y-direction is zero because the electron
enters the field horizontally.
Vertical displacement:
Dy = (v
yi
t) + (0.5at
2
)
Horizontal displacement: x = v
x
t
The time t that the electron is accelerating
vertically within the electric field is equal to the
time during which it is traveling horizontally
through the electric field.


Acceleration in Uniform
Electric Field
Once the electron leaves the uniform
electric field, it continues to move in a
straight line with a speed greater than its
original speed.
The angle at which the electron exits the
electric field is given by:

x
yf
v
v
tan
Forces on electron beam in a TV tube (CRT)
F = Q E and F = m g (vector equations)

TV tube with electron-deflecting charged
plates (orange)
F = Q E
What About Gravity?
The gravitational force acting on the mass of
the electron has been neglected because the
magnitude of this force is 9.11 x 10
-31
kg 9.8
m/s
2
= 8.9278 x 10
-30
N, which is small in
comparison to the electric force acting on the
electron.
The same is true for a proton.